First of the Georgia Election Conspiracy Indictees Pleads Guilty
3 min read
The news sparks a slew of new controversy and speculation in the case
In a significant development in the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump and 18 others, bail bondsman Scott Graham Hall, charged alongside them, has taken a plea deal.
Hall, 59, pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with election duties, all misdemeanors, at an unexpected court hearing.
We asked a law professor at Mercer University Law School in Macon, GA regarding their take on the situation. After requesting to remain anonymous, this is what he told us.
“What we have here is really pretty troubling for the Fulton DA,” the Professor began. “Mr. Hall, just like all the others indicted in this case, was facing very very serious felony charges that could have netted him over 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
“District attorneys are not in the practice of reducing top-level felonies to misdemeanors unless there are serious flaws in their case. And while part of the plea here is that Mr. Hall might be called on to testify for the prosecution in other cases, in the same breath the plea explains that Mr. Hall had no connection to any of the primary targets in this alleged conspiracy, especially the DA’s primary target, former President Trump, whom the records show Mr. Hall never met or had any dealings with.”
When asked directly what he thought this meant for the remaining 18 pending cases, the Professor had this to say:
“I think they are all in grave jeopardy now, particularly the absurd RICO nonsense. Between the recent separation of the pending cases and this revelation, it is very safe to say there will be no RICO convictions in any of these individual prosecutions. It’s also, I believe, very safe to say that there will be many more misdemeanor plea deals in these cases – possibly even by the former President, though I wouldn’t hold my breath for that one if I were Fani.”
Originally facing felony charges including racketeering and six conspiracy counts, Hall’s plea agreement includes five years of probation, testimony in upcoming proceedings, a written apology to the citizens of Georgia, and a prohibition from engaging in polling activities.
Hall’s plea, while making him one of the lower-level players in the indictment, is a significant milestone in the case. It is also a notable gut-punch against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ cases against the remaining defendants. This is particularly true regarding her historic attempt to pursue a racketeering case against a former president.
Under the terms of the deal, Hall’s record will be expunged after he completes probation. Hall’s attorney, Jeff Weiner, stated that his client has limited knowledge of the alleged conspiracy and would be surprised if called to testify.
This development follows revelations that the district attorney’s office intends to extend plea offers to lawyers Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, who are scheduled for trial on October 23. Powell is accused of involvement in a breach of election equipment in rural Coffee County, while Chesebro is alleged to have coordinated a plan involving 16 Georgia ‘electors’.
Additionally, U.S. District Judge Steve Jones rejected requests to move charges to federal court for four other defendants, including former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark. The indictment alleges that Clark disseminated false information regarding the election outcome.
The judge ruled that Clark failed to demonstrate that his actions were within the scope of his role at the Justice Department, emphasizing that his role did not include oversight of state elections.
David Shafer, Shawn Still, and Cathy Latham, among the 16 Republicans who falsely certified themselves as the state’s electors, were also denied the assertion that they acted as federal officers.
This case continues to unfold, with these recent developments marking significant milestones in the legal proceedings. Of course, The Peach Explorer will be there to offer coverage throughout every phase of the proceedings.
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